I’ve asked this before, but have never received an answer: is there any source of information about “The Family” that isn’t directly traceable to Jeff Sharlet, who recently published a book on the topic? Every reference I’ve checked that seemed to be independent has ultimately traced directly back to Sharlet as the source of their information.

And I wasn’t too impressed with Sharlet during a long Fresh Air interview he gave while flogging his book. None of his sources were named, how he came by his information wasn’t revealed, and nothing other than Sharlet’s say-so was offered in support of his claims.

There’s no doubt that the organization referred to exists, and has been around for a very long time. It does strike me as odd, though, that an organization with as many long tentacles as Sharlet claims has gone completely unnoticed by anyone for all this time.

Hence my question. Has anyone been able to corroborate Sharlet’s claims independently? ‘Cause to be frank, they’re starting to sound just a little too oogey-boogey to me, just a little too much like The daVinci Code, to be true. But I’d love to hear of some other investigator who has gone and turned up anything like what Sharlet claims on their own.

Until then, remianing skeptical of all Family claims.